Automobile signal



May 14 1929- w. U. sroNEHlLL 1,713,305

AUTOMOBILE S IGNAL Filed Sept. 29, 1923 7%@ a/of; Z.

Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITED STATES WINALOE U. STONEHILI, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

Application led September 29, 1923. Serial No. 665,657.

My invention relates to devices applied to automobiles by whichautomatically the intentions of the driver as to direction andV stoppingare signalled and my 'object is to provide a control device which willrequire a minimum of attention from the driver in the operation thereofand which will be simple in construction and thoroughly reliable inoperation. My invention consists 1o in whatever is described by or isincluded within the terms or scope of the appended claims.

In the annexed drawings: F ig. 1 is a perspective view of a deviceembodying my invention arranged for use; Fig. 2 is a similar view theparts of the casing being shown separated. l

My invention comprehends a lamp arrangement suitably mounted onthe carWith 2 0 signals to indicate right and left turns and stopping and aswitch device at the steering wheel that has a movable contact arrangedfor successive cooperation with three fixed contacts that respectivelyare in circuit with the three lamps which give the direction and stopsignals.

The switch comprises a base or supporting member,10, which is of hardrubber or 'bakelite or other insulating material and a metal bracket,11, attached to the underside thereof which at one end has a split ringclamp, 12, to encircle and to be clamped upon the steering post, 14, andthereby the switch is supported from the steering post and just be' lowand quite close to the steerin wheel, .15, with the base or supportexten mg in a radial direction from the steering post. As a matter ofcompactness and attractive design the base, 10, is tapering in planview' 40 wlth its wider end away from the steering post. Pivoted in asubstantial recess or cavity, 16, in the upper side of the base,

1 0, is a rod, 17, of spring metal which constitutes the movable contactof the switch it being pivoted to the base near the steering post andhaving a length to reach the rim of the steering wheel or near enough tothe rim of the steering wheel to enable the lingers to engage it toswing it horizontally without the necessity of removing the hand fromthe steering wheel. The surface of the cavity or recess is dished orconcave so that it rises easily from a median-:line and as the movablecontact is swung to one side or the other it engages the upwardlyinclined surface andis thereby placed under sucient tension or stressthat when it reaches one or the other contacts, 18, for the right andleft- 'tur n signal lamps it will 'he held thereat so that the concernof the motorist does not go beyond simply moving the contact as far asitl will go to the right or to the left according tothe direction signalthat is to be given and when he has moved it as far as it' can go hetakes his nger therefrom and forgets it. Each fixed contact, 18, may bean angle strip of copper or brass with one ange horizontal and the othervertical, the vertical flange forming a stop to the swinging movement ofthe movable contact in the direction to close the circuit to onedirection lamp or the other.

`I use the turning .of the steerlng wheel 1n the direction signaled tobreak the circuit so that the driver need give no thought to breakingthe circuit through the lamp cut.

into ktne circuit and 'this may be conveniently done by a fingerprojecting from theunderside of the steering wheel of a length to strikethe movable contact4 rod only when the latter is in raised circuitclosing position. Such finger, 19,-may be a downward projection of a-light bar, 20, projecting rad1ally from the hub of the steering wheelfrom which, it may be secured by a split clamp, 21. As will be obviousthere will be two arms, 20, each having a finger, 19, so that by theturning of the steering wheel in either direction `the switch arm, 17,will be engaged and -shifted from the-contact, 18, with which it happensto be engaged.

For 'closing the circuit through the stop lam I employ a stationarycontact, 22, in the orm of a brass or copper strip which extends acrossthe cavity in the base, l0, sufficiently above the movable contact asnot to be touched by the latter unless it is purosely lifted high enoughfor that purpose y the fingers of the driver.- Y The upper side of thebase, 10, is covered bya removable cap, 23, which houses and otherwiserotects the switch contacts.

The lea .wire from the movable contact extends from the pivot thereof toa suitable ground.

What Iclaim is:

1. A signal operating switch for automobiles comprising a suitablesupport, a movable contact pivoted to said support and movable also 1n adirection at right angles to the direction of its ivotal movement, aplurality of contacts with which said mov- `able;'Contact may bealternately engaged movable also in a direction at right angles to thedirection of its pivotal movement, a plurality of contacts mountedspaced apart on' opposite sides of said movable contact in the directionof its pivotal movement and means actuated by the steering Wheel todis-l engage said movable contact from such of the plurality of contactswhich it may engage, and another contact towards and from which themovable -contact is movable at right angles to its pivotal movement.

3. A signal operating switch for automobiles comprising a base, amovable contactformed of a spring rod pivoted in a, recess in such base,and fixed contacts on opposite sides of the recess in said base being ina planevhigher than the bottom of the recess between them, said rod whenin contact with either of said fixed contacts remaining in such contact.

plane than the bottom of the recess between .in contact therewith untildisplaced by the 4. A signal operating switch for automobiles comprisinga base, a movable contact formed of a spring rod p-ivoted in a recess insuch base, 'xed contacts on opposite` sides of the recess in said basebeing in a plane higher than the bottom of the recess between them, saidrod when in contact with either of said fixed contacts remaining in suchContact, and another contact reaching across such recess above saidmovable contact.

5. A signal operating switch for automobiles comprising a base, meansfor supporting thev base in a plane below and parallel with the plane ofthe steering wheel of an autombbile,`said base having a'recess thatextends radially of said wheel, a -movable Contact formed of a springrod pivoted at the inner end and xed contacts on opposite sides of therecess in said base in a highe;l

such contacts, such xed contacts having horizontal surfaces which formbearings for the rod when placed in contact therewith, the spring of therod maintaining the same operator.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afix my signature.

wrNALoE U. sToNEHILL. d

